


Inktober 2020 LWA

by Secretficjunkie



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: 80s movies, Armor, Ballroom Dancing, Camel, Cat and Mouse, Dueling, Fanart, First Dates, Fish, Football, Girl Bonding, Hail Mary, Hope, I drew something for you guys, Inktober, Inktober 2020, Kissing in the Rain, LWA fanart, More tags to follow, Multi, Rhyming, School Play, Scroll for art, Sleeping Beauty - Freeform, Spirits, Teeth, barrel roll - Freeform, bra shopping, first time flight, frotte
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 9,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretficjunkie/pseuds/Secretficjunkie
Summary: I set out on a journey to complete Inktober 2020 but make it all LWA fanart following the official prompts and themes. Fun headcanons and mini-stories to accompany illustrations. Feel free to use as inspiration if the mood strikes ya. May fall behind a day or two but I'm going to do my best to keep up and complete. More tags to follow as we progress.
Relationships: Andrew Hanbridge/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Frank/Lotte Yanson, Louis Blackwell/Amanda O'Neill
Comments: 98
Kudos: 153





	1. 1. Fish

1\. Fish

Seconds before disaster strikes... 

"Dibs on that piece of cake!"

"What piece of cake?" asked Lotte, worry mounting. 

"THAT piece of cake!" said Akko excitedly, waving her fin around.

"You should go for it, Akko," said Sucy.

"AKKO, NO!!"


	2. 2. Wisp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Went with a 'will-o-the-wisp' type of interpretation.

2\. Wisp

There they were again...those little voices coming from the woods. Coming from old things...coming from everywhere.

Little Lotte slipped on her galoshes. She decided she would be brave and find out once and for all who those little voices belonged to. Though she was very scared and didn't venture too far beyond the house without Mama and Papa, curiosity won the tug-of-war tonight.

Just in the glade beyond the yard, a dim aquamarine light flickered through the leaves, the only light for miles besides the moon and stars above. 

She swallowed, hoping the fear would go right down and stay away. She took small, hesitant steps and got a little braver with each one. 

When she crawled into the clearing, she saw them there...the little owners of the little voices. Spirits...

Or...maybe they were will-o-the-wisps? She couldn't remember all the technical terms, she was just a little girl after all. All she knew for certain was that they were happy, dancing around and squeaking with joyful voices that were almost as small as hers. 

They only took notice of her for a moment, and she didn't seem to be a bother, so they went back to their celebratory dance as she just watched them happily. Not so scary after all.


	3. 3. Bulky

3\. Bulky

Norwegian heavy metal blasted over the field from the small radio strapped to Constanze's back. She had read somewhere that the Aztecs used death whistles to intimidate their opponents before battle, but, having the bad luck to not have access to such an item...something from her personal playlist would have to do.

The other teams were stricken with the utmost terror when the Green trio came into sight. Jasminka had made good use of her juggernaut power to swell up into what they liked to call "Battle Balloon Mode" and stun spells simply bounced off her like useless plastic bb's. Amanda was comfortably nestled in her vest like a baby kangaroo...a baby kangaroo with a 50 caliber sniper rifle and the eyes of a Peregrin Falcon, and she picked off the stragglers one by one with stun spells through the scope that Constanze had made. All the while, the tiny German rained cover fire from the heavens so thick, there was no hope of escape. 

They made up an unstoppable war machine, so perfect in its operation, so precisely deadly that all teams were bowled over in a matter of minutes with the exception of the Blues, who wisely ran for cover. 

But it was all in vain, as Hannah and Barbara were overwhelmed by the cover fire falling in sheets from above. Almost in slow motion, Diana made a move to aim for Constanze's head but was hit squarely in the chest by a stun spell from Amanda. 

Professor Ursula was caught in the crossfire trying to put a stop to what was supposed to be a fun physical education game that had gone horribly horribly wrong. 

"War is hell," said Jasminka in her happy, sing-song voice.


	4. 4. Radio

4\. Radio

Constanze closely watched John Cusack hold up the boombox on the screen. Secretly, this was one of her favorite movies...she downloaded it quite by accident, originally looking for a cheesy werewolf horror. Instead what she got was a classic tale of young romance. The movie was called _Say Anything_ and Constanze never said anything...the irony wasn't lost on her. 

She sighed in a tiny, soft voice.

_If only it were that easy...to just hold up a boombox playing a love song and then your true love would know everything you wanted to say..._

She cuddled her pillow close...she wished so much that she was here now. They shared a love of terrible cheap horror movies. Maybe watching something like this together...Constanze might have the courage to reach out and hold her hand...or to _say anything_.

But maybe...if John could say so much with just a boombox, couldn't she too? 

The next night, Constanze's stomach was all in knots, nerves fraying at what she was about to do. She had shot furtive glances at her all evening in the dining hall, but she didn't seem to notice. Constanze hoped she would notice now, as she stood underneath the dorm window with Stanbot and the boombox ready to go. He was holding it aloft like John, just in case her arms got tired. 

Constanze took a deep breath and pressed the button. A love song blared out of the radio and drifted upward to the lit window of the dorm room, saying everything she wanted to say. 

A shadowy figure approached the window...

Constance held her breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued???
> 
> You ever blush so hard you lose your whole mouth?


	5. 5. Blade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read this headcanon once and I'm bringing it new life.

5\. Blade

The rivalry between Diana and Andrew for Akko's affections had finally escalated beyond all rational logic. Andrew, in a moment of stunning foolishness, challenged her to a traditional Appleton duel for the sole opportunity of courting Akko. 

Diana showed up with a Claymore, probably an heirloom belonging to an ancestral male Cavendish who was approximately the size of a vending machine. 

Andrew had chosen a lightweight saber, which was good for speed but in the face of the Claymore, may as well have been a fountain pen. 

"You can't bring that _thing_ to a traditional duel!" he tried to reason his way out of certain doom. 

"There's nothing in the charter that restricts the use of certain weapons, only that it is a blade," Diana replied cooly, hell-bent on winning. "And it was your barbaric choice for settling this matter, so...let's just get on with it, shall we?"

From the relative safety of the bridge tower, bystanders had gathered to watch the carnage. 

"Should we call an ambulance? Frank asked, sweating bullets. "Just...to have on hand?"

"Call a coroner," said Louis simply, "He's a dead man."


	6. 6. Rodent

6\. Rodent

After placing the half-curse, Akko transformed herself into a mouse and ran into a small crack in the wall. She did that sometimes when he was being obtuse...she said it helped him remember what fun was like again.

Andrew's second set of ears twitched atop his head. Fortunately, he had a surefire way of catching this particular mouse.

In the fridge, he bypassed the good cheese completely and broke off a piece of cake from the leftovers that had nearly gone hard. He gave it a test squish between his fingers... _still spongy enough I think._

Placing it near the crack in the wall, he waited off to the side, just out of sight. It wouldn't be long now...

His tail brushed from side to side in anticipation, which at once felt all too natural and surprising. 

_Must be some sort of animalistic side effect..._

He felt a heightened sense of wanting to pounce when a little orange nose appeared at the edge of the crack, sniffing tentatively for the cake he had left there. _But not yet..._

The little orange nose soon gave way to the rest of her head and she carefully stepped out of her hidey-hole, eyes too glued to the cake to look around for him. 

He caught her by the tail just as she laid tiny clawed hands on the cake and brought her up to his eye level. 

"Got you," he said with a small smile. "Now, will you put me right again?"

"Nope," she said, dropping her prized cake crumbs and crossing her fuzzy arms. "You're no fun right now, I think I should leave you that way!" Then her little eyes lit up despite trying to be stern. "Besides, you look too cute like this, I can't put you back!"


	7. 7. Fancy

7\. Fancy

Lotte and Frank danced so exuberantly around the floor, other couples had to careen out of the way to avoid a collision. Normally, Lotte had two left feet, but under the careful and affectionate tutelage of Frank, she glided. And when she didn't, he simply lifted her off her feet to spin her around. 

It was some sort of party thrown by his father for his colleagues, one of an endless parade of fancy soirees that Frank usually found mind-numbingly dull...until now. 

Aside from the party at the Hanbridge mansion that she, Akko and Sucy crashed earlier that year, Lotte had never been to events like this. Every time an important colleague of Frank's parents came up to talk to him, he introduced her and it was customary that she curtseyed or extend a hand for a wet-fish-type handshake. After a while, when they weren't dancing together, she started to feel just a bit out of place.

"I'm going to step out on the terrace for a minute," she said quietly to Frank. 

"Oh good, I'll go with you!" he said happily. "Let's get outta here before more of my dad's coworkers corner us."

"You...you don't want to talk to them?" she asked. 

"No way, there's only so much a man can take! Come on, we can check out some stars," he said, offering his arm. 

She glowed as they tried to inconspicuously make their way over to the terrace doors. 

"Oh, I have an idea!" he said suddenly. "You go ahead, I'll steal us some food."

He didn't care much about decorum. At the hors d'oeuvres table, he scooped handfuls of food into napkins that looked like bindles a hobo would carry. The key to flouting social rules was utmost confidence...he simply acted like he was supposed to be there, doing the things he was doing, and to question him would be wrong somehow. 

Carrying his bundles with an easy-going smile to those who shot him odd looks, he met Lotte on the terrace. They both took off their shoes and sat on the no doubt dusty stone in their best clothes, scarfing down the fine food as if it was popcorn at the movies, with only each other and the stars for company. The high, false laughter coming from the many wealthy guests on the inside went unheard as they laughed for real...loud laughs from the belly that enveloped them and eventually led to quiet, soft kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two thumbs way up for light suits.


	8. 8. Teeth

8\. Teeth

Sucy, like most other girls, brushed her teeth every morning and night. Every time she did, she checked the two neat, pointed rows and thought about home. 

Sucy started out in life with a normal set of teeth like most everyone else. She remembered feeling very unpleasant when they started to come in and more unpleasant still when they fell out. 

Ramza, her adoptive mother, encouraged her to brush twice every day, which Sucy didn't like because of the pain. But Ramza would smile and show her own sum total of five teeth and say, "Sucy, if you don't take good care, you'll end up just like me!" 

She even made up a little rhyme to suit Sucy's tastes and take her mind off tooth pain.

_Brush Brush Brush_  
_Keep them nice and strong._  
_Hands where they belong._

Then when Sucy was old enough and had become interested in where she came from and her culture, Ramza let her file her teeth to points with a stone, as long as she could help to make sure they were even. 

_Brush Brush Brush_  
_Shiny and clean._  
_Be nice or I will be mean_

Sucy thought they suited her very much. And Ramza was a good Mama, and was proud that her children took interest in the places they came from. "You look very beautiful, Sucy! Promise to take good care of them?"

"Yes," she would reply, and she brushed twice every day, very much preferring her teeth now compared to back then. 

_Brush Brush Brush_  
_Beware, they are sharp as stingers._  
_Beware, I'll bite off your fingers._

She examined them in the mirror now, lost in thought. Nice, clean and sharp. Then a knock at the door interrupted her trip down memory lane. "Sucyyyyyy! Hurry up in there! I have to peeee!" 

"Ugh, Akko..."


	9. 9. Throw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story got long because I started writing and just got really into it, it was a blast. Also, it inspired me to make a bonus drawing for you guys of Consey the Riveter! Scroll for art!

9\. Throw

Constanze's stomach grumbled loudly, reverberating through the Green dorm as she read the latest issue of “Tech and Mechanics”. It was the loudest noise that had ever come from her. 

“I heard that,” said Amanda from her bunk, the hunger in her stomach rumbling almost as deep. 

Constanze slapped the flimsy pages of the magazine shut and flung it aside, staring at the ceiling with an empty sort of frustration. 

“I know...I'm hungry too.”

It was the end of the month, a few days before their allowances would come in and they could buy a new supply of snackfood. The various versions of potatoes they were serving in the dining hall just wasn't cutting it and they relied more and more on personal groceries to get through. Still, when the trio was skint broke, there was only so much Jasminka could do with a couple packs of ramen and a few spices, and not even a nice broth to steep it in. 

Constanze was just wondering how hard it would be to chemically melt down her magazine and drink it when Jasminka herself burst through the door with a giddy, hopeful gait. 

“Girls!” she shifted from foot to foot. “I've found the answer to our problems!” 

“Food?” asked Amanda hopefully. 

“We just have to get our hands on it! Follow me!”

The girls followed their friend down to the ground floor and just beyond the grassy field where physical education was held. 

“How much farther, Jaz? Jeez...”

“It's just over there,” Jasminka pointed, then she stopped walking suddenly, throwing an arm out to halt the other two. “Do you see that greenish dot hanging from the branches over there?”

Constanze nodded.

“Yeah, what of it?” asked Amanda. 

“It's a beehive,” said Jasminka happily. 

“Oh my god, I'm sharin' a room with Winnie-the-Pooh!” said Amanda, slapping her forehead in exasperation. 

“It's no ordinary hive,” said Jasminka, who hadn't the first clue who the cartoon bear was that Amanda was talking about. “See how the hive is green? Those are Merlins Bees.”

Constanze tugged on her sleeve with an inquisitive look. 

“Merlins Bees absorb magical energy and transform it into honey, instead of pollen. That's why the hive is green. If we can get the hive, there's enough honey in there for the next few days at least! And, it's rumored to boost magic power as well as be incredibly delicious,” she rubbed her tummy in anticipation. 

“Mmmkay, so let's just shoot it down,” said Amanda, coming around to the idea after her stomach grumbled angrily again. Jasminka made to protest but Amanda had already pulled out her wand and sent a beam of aquamarine energy at the branch holding their prize. 

To her surprise, the bees absorbed the beam, leaving no energy behind and retiring back into the hive. 

“Magic won't work,” said Jasminka sadly. “I've already tried. You can't even fly a broom near it. They'll suck the energy out and try to sting you.” Her face soured at the memory of being chased by angry winged insects. 

Constanze crossed her arms in determination. At least figuring out this puzzle would take her mind off being hungry. 

Over the next few hours, the girls attempted several plans to get at the hive of the Merlins bees. Sneaking up with a pool net, causing a small earthquake to shake the tree, flying a drone in...none of which worked. Even Stanbot sustained some damage when some warrior bees sacrificed themselves to jam up his gears and circuitry as he walked into their territory. 

They sat a good distance from the hive, watching it grumpily and trying to come up with a new plan. Jasminka looked worried and Constanze's strong brows were screwed up in concentration. 

Finally Amanda spoke. “I got it. Oh! It's all clear to me now.” 

Constanze put up her hands expectantly in the universal 'so spill already' expression.

“We're gonna do a hail mary,” she said triumphantly. 

The other two stared at her blankly. Amanda sighed.

“A hail mary is a play from American football. Basically, we're gonna stand here, and throw something really hard at it and hope for the best.” 

They continued to stare.

“It's simple, elegant...and we haven't tried it yet,” said Amanda. “Jaz, you've got a dynamite arm. We just need something to throw.”

“What about the bees?” asked Jasminka.

“We'll send Stanbot in there again to distract 'em...well, what's left of him.”

Stanbot lay pathetically in the grass, pretending to be dead. 

Constanze was slowly nodding, working out the details. 

“Somethin' to throw...somethin' to throw...” Amanda looked around for a good rock or even a large acorn that might work.

Constanze tugged on her sleeve and pointed at herself. 

“Consey, are you sure? You might get stung. And you don't have a helmet or anything.”

Constanze shook her head, then flexed her tiny bicep, looking very much like a Rosie-the-Riveter poster. 

“You _are_ strong, girl. Stronger than me,” said Amanda with a measure of respectful awe in her voice. 

Within a few minutes, Stanbot was toddling toward the hive on his rickety legs and Constanze was securely in Jasminka's grip, ready to hail mary. 

“Ready, Consey?”

She gave a thumbs up. 

As the bees swarmed poor Stanbot, Jasminka launched Constanze's small body with all the velocity of a ship cannon firing a shotput at invading pirates. 

Constanze's eyes watered as she sailed toward the growing green dot. She wrapped her arms around it as she grazed through the branches, tucking and rolling on the ground over and over before finally coming to a halt in the thicker part of the woods. Without hesitating, she whirled around and made a break for the field, hive under her arm like the world's tiniest quarterback. 

“I'm open! I'm open!” Amanda yelled, waving her arms. 

Constanze chucked the hive to her, picking up Stanbot's limp body along the way. 

Amanda ran like a demon of the wind back to the safety of the school, the bees in hot pursuit. She slammed the door on the winged creatures while the other two girls took the long way around to avoid them altogether. 

At last, they all met back in the Green Dorm, disheveled and out of breath, but heavy with their spoils on a field of victory. 

“Oh man, I can't wait,” Amanda said excitedly, toasting up some stale heels of bread as Jasminka cut the hive apart, harvesting the aquamarine honey into a jar. 

They dribble-drabbled the bluish honey on their meager slices of bread and took their first crunchy bite. It was positively the best thing any of them had ever tasted. 

“MMMMM!” said Jasminka in her happy cadence. 

“Oh mah gawf ees sooo good,” said Amanda through a mouthful of bread, a few crumbs spilling out. 

Constanze spoke no word or noise, but closed her eyes in pure bliss and a tiny smile spread across her cheeks that were chubby-full of toast. 

The honey got them well through the last few days of the month and they even had some leftover for special occasions. For the rest of that week, all three performed especially excellent in their magical classes as well. 

Jasminka, inspired to her core, poured much of her free time thereafter into learning more about gourmet cooking and beekeeping techniques. Bags of crisps just wouldn't do after tasting ambrosia. 

BONUS CONTENT!!!


	10. 10. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fell behind a bit over the weekend cuz I got "The Big Tired." I'm back on my BS though we are gonna finish this thing folks!!!

10\. Hope

Akko excitedly tore open the cellophane packing wrapped around the brand new pack of Chariot Cards. The smell of freshly printed cardboard and vacuum-packed foil air hit her nose. It was a wonderful smell...the smell of childhood anticipation and treasures yet to be uncovered. 

She hoped and hoped that a limited edition Chariot card, or even a regular Chariot card would be inside. Except for those two, she had a complete collection, which were spread neatly out into rows on her bedroom floor before her. 

Rifling through the repeats, her ruby eyes alighted at the last one, which was a regular Chariot edition, featuring Chariot herself in her stage uniform standing atop the faithful Alcor. She felt a warmth spread through her heart. At last, except for the premium card, her collection was complete. 

This card had been so difficult to get...none of the other kids collected them and there was no one to trade with. She had done what seemed like endless chores to earn the pocket money to buy pack after pack, wishing fervently for a Chariot. 

Akko clutched the card close to her warm heart. It may have seemed silly, but at that moment, she felt closer to Chariot somehow, closer to meeting her. Closer to being just like her, swathed in the glow of the magic that was sure to get her there...someday.


	11. 11. Disgusting

11\. Disgusting

"Eww! We have to use leeches?!" squealed Hannah in response to Lukic's instructions. 

"So gross," Barbara affirmed. 

To add insult to injury, their cauldron was set up right next to Sucy's for this lesson. It was bad enough that they had to endure her creepy vibes and constant cackling under her breath while she brewed, but her potion would undoubtedly outshine theirs when it came time for Lukic to grade them. 

After carefully retrieving their jar of leeches from the shelf, carrying it by two fingers, they agreed to just ignore her.

Just as they expected, Sucy mumbled and laughed quietly as she worked, quickly grating on Hannah's nerves.

When it came time to put the leeches in the mix, Barbara put on extra thick gloves and retrieved a pair of tongs to dip into the jar. "Ew...ew..ew..".

Sucy watched them out of the corner of her visible eye, rolling it heavily. "Tch...wimps." 

Hannah, who had previously swore to ignore Sucy, instantly lost her composure. She gestured to the leech clamped in Barbara's tongs. "What's the matter, Manbavaran? Is this a relative of yours?"

"Ha!" said Sucy simply, reaching her bare hand right into the leech jar and wiggling it right in Hannah and Barbara's faces. "Meet my auntie," she said in her deadpan voice.

Barbara squealed and Hannah felt her lunch coming back up the way it went down not two hours ago. "You're a sicko!!"

"You're disgusting!" Barbara echoed. 

"Don't bother me when I'm eating," said Sucy, opening her sharp maw wide and dangling the leech over it as if to drop it right in her mouth.

Sucy's finishing move made Hannah and Barbara pass out under the work table. Barbara's leech, which had previously been wriggling in the tongs, saw its opportunity to make a daring escape and undulated slowly for the door. 

"Too easy," chuckled Sucy, and dropped her unlucky leech into the bubbling brew.


	12. 12. Slippery

12\. Slippery

Sucy ate the last banana and dropped the peel in on the hallway floor in front of the laundry room.

_Twelve ought to do it_ she thought, and made a note in a small book before tucking it back in her pocket. One peel was funny, twelve should be twelve times as funny. It was the only reasonable conclusion.

Just to make sure, she poured a pinkish potion on the floor around the peels. It was a slippery solution she created herself from the extraction of banana. If this worked, she could very well reinvent the sport of luging. 

Taking one last look around, she made a satisfied little hum and cast a spell on herself, flattening her body like a piece of paper. And she slipped close to the wall to wait and watch for her guinea pig. 

In just a few minutes, Akko rounded the corner, her loud voice unmistakable. "Sucyyyy! Where'd you g-AAAGGHH!! 

Her call was cut short as she slipped on the first peel and shot down the length of the hallway like a greased-up watermelon seed. She landed in the relatively comfortable laundry bin full of sheets that Sucy set up earlier. Serious injury would not be desirable...for the future of experimentation of course, not because Sucy cared or anything...perish the thought. 

But Akko's velocity was greater than Sucy anticipated, and caused the laundry bin to roll down the stairs. Screams were yanked out of Akko at wild pitches as she bumped down the steps and she finally rolled to a halt in the laundry room. 

"Yeah...it works," said Sucy finally, making one last note in the book.


	13. 13. Dune

13\. Dune

"Why do _I_ have to be the camel?" whined Akko. 

"You lost the coin toss, remember?" said Lotte, secretly relieved at Akko's bad luck this go around. 

"Better saddle up before the sand gets too hot," said Sucy, flashing her teeth in a gleeful grin. 

Akko groaned.

"It's just 'til we get to town," said Lotte kindly, and she cast the metamorphosis spell. 

Where Akko once stood, there was now an orange camel with bangs and a ponytail. 

"I like you better this way," said Sucy, settling herself in between the humps. 

Lotte couldn't help but giggle.

Akko spat bitterly in the sand, pouting her fuzzy lips.


	14. 14. Armor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to my buddy and fellow writer TextileTown. Go and check them out if you like good reads!

14\. Armor

“Do you want me to beg you, O'Neill? Please...it's important that I play the prince role.”

“Look, the role was given to me for this stupid play and it's the one I'm playin'. What does it matter to you, anyway?”

Diana winced, wishing that anything would stop her from giving an honest answer...even if that meant another missile coming down from the sky and burying her miles underground. Akko was playing the sleeping princess...and it was in the script that the prince would awaken her with a kiss. She _had_ to play the role...she just had to. She felt as if she might die if she couldn't. 

Amanda regarded her with narrowed eyes, extremely suspicious of the long silence and Diana's near-desperate expression. She had never seen her so flustered.

“This wouldn't have anything to do with the final kiss scene, would it?”

Diana didn't answer, she looked at her feet with hot shame creeping up into her porcelain face. 

That was enough answer for Amanda. _Everyone has their little secrets. I have mine too, after all._

“Oh alright, if you want it that bad. The villain has better lines anyway. Gimme that costume,” said Amanda, pretending to be put out but secretly glad to get to wear the prosthetic hump that came with the evil witch's outfit. Later, to Constanze and Jasminka's pained groaning, she would sing “My Humps” while parading around in it. 

Diana sighed, her shoulders unclenching themselves from the vicinity of her ears. “Thank you, Amanda.” 

The night of the play came at last, and Diana's stomach was so twisted with nerves, she felt like she might throw up all over the stage. The girls followed Hannah's script to a 'T' all evening, until the final titular scene. 

Diana's feet seemed to move of their own accord, clanking up the wooden steps in the prince's steely armor. Akko lay daintily on the makeshift bed in front of the hand-painted backdrop...looking magnificently beautiful. She almost glowed. 

Diana sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at the 'sleeping princess'. It was now or never...to speak her true feelings...

“My princess...my beloved. I vow to protect you all the days of your life. I vow to never show you my wrath, except to strike down the wicked that stands in your way. I vow that my heart will be true to you and you alone, forever. I vow that my lips will speak only truth and beauty to your ears. All this I swear, if you deign to be mine.”

Diana leaned down and pressed her lips to Akko's for a much longer duration than was necessary for a school play. A thunderous applause met their ears and there was hardly a dry eye in the house. 

“That speech wasn't in my script,” said Hannah, jaw nearly on the ground. 

“Shut up!” Amanda elbowed her in the arm. 

Akko opened her eyes, surprised. “I don't know what deign means...but yes, Diana...yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the epic delay! Celebrating some birthdays over the weekend!


	15. 15. Outpost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG Halfway!!

15\. Outpost

"So...cold...so hungry," said Akko weakly, hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth behind the battlements of the snow fort. "Who's dumb idea was it to play 'capture the flag' in the middle of winter?!"

"We've only been out here an hour," said Lotte. "Don't worry, Amanda, Constanze and Jasminka have probably already stopped Diana and the others. We'll win this thing in no time and go back inside for hot chocolate," she said, patting Akko's back. It cheered her right up. 

"Oh, it'll be over soon for sure," came Sucy's dry voice from the outlook spot. "Heads up."

A snowball the size of a Fiat came sailing in, hurled by a snow golem that Diana had summoned to life. 

The Reds were flattened under a thick layer of powder.

"So cold...still so hungry..." Akko whined.


	16. 16: Rocket

16: Rocket

Headcanon: I imagine during the Stanship Takeoff events, when Akko was bothering poor Constanze night and day, she probably imagined doing something like this. One of these days Akko...to the moon. 

Fun Fact: This is Marvin the Martian's rocket from Looney Tunes.


	17. 17. Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many things...ok.
> 
> 1\. One time I saw a fanart of hair-down Frank and I am now a huge sucker for it.   
> 2\. My favorite drawing so far...why isn't there more art of these two?!  
> 3\. I am also a huge sucker for romance so I work 10 times harder on ship art, and you know what? I'm not sorry. Lol

17\. Storm

Lotte thought her and Frank's first date was going well. Just tea at the Last Wednesday Society...something familiar and comfortable. She had been so nervous, now she couldn't remember what she was even nervous about. He was always so relaxed, a cheerful laugh was always just below the surface and he made her feel at ease.

But more than that, he made her feel interesting...feminine...and beautiful. He hung on her every word and his eyes sparkled when she giggled at something. Even the most boring magical concepts like the alchemical uses for hoptoads had him enraptured. Ordinarily, he might not be so interested in such a subject, but because Lotte was speaking the words, he couldn't get enough.

Her breath caught in her chest when he reached across the tiny table to touch her hand. The warmth of his hand radiated through her entirely. He was like a sun unto himself that lit up the dreary surroundings of the magic item cafe, with all its questionably dark items. 

She continued to hold his hand as they walked out the door, politely thanking the proprietor. Unbeknownst to the two uncommonly kind and optimistic young people, storm clouds had gathered overhead and formed a thick, ominous, gray blanket in the sky. Little droplets began to fall. 

“Ooh, rain!” exclaimed Frank in the same excited way that someone on a road trip says 'Oh, horses' when passing them by. “I'll call a driver for us,” he said, fishing his phone out of his pocket. 

“Wait,” said Lotte, staying a hand on his arm. “Do you mind if we walk? I love the rain.”

With a slight hesitation, his easy smile spread across his lips. “Yeah, okay! But take this.” He took off his green jacket and draped it over her shoulders. 

She slipped her arms into it, which were comically short in the flapping sleeves. Discreetly, she smelled the jacket, smiling a little...it smelled just like him. It was like getting a long, warm hug. They set off on the way to the Leyline terminal, raindrops plip-plapping lightly on the sidewalk and street. 

“I love that you wanted to walk in the rain,” he said, taking her hand again. “But I gotta know why.”

“Well, I've always loved the smell of rain,” Lotte replied after thinking for a moment. “It smells like new, fresh life...and old pages of books. It makes me happy.” 

If it made her happy, he secretly wished it would rain every day. 

The rain came down heavier, breaking apart his carefully-sculpted pompadour and soaking his shirt. Still, nothing could beat the smile off his face and he shone like the sun. The only thing that made it waiver was when they arrived at the terminal and it meant 'goodbye' for now. 

Lotte's breath caught in her chest again when she turned to him. Frank's hair fell into his eyes...and she had yet another reason to love the rain.

He pulled her close, looking into her eyes past the thick lenses of her glasses. Really looking, like so few people ever did. What had she ever been so nervous about? He leaned down and placed his lips tenderly on hers. The couple should have felt cold and wet in the rain, but were warm instead, sharing in the magic of a first of many kisses. 

When they parted, he leaned back up to his full height, and Lotte thought she might need a step-stool just for kissing unless Frank wanted some neck problems. He didn't mind. He straightened the collar on his jacket, still hanging on Lotte's small frame. 

“Will you hold on to this for me for a while? Maybe until our second date?”

“Oh...sorry...but you're never getting this back,” said Lotte with a playful smile, shining like a sun in her own right.


	18. 18. Trap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I really highjack an Inktober post to complain about bra shopping? Yes, and honestly it could have gone on for about six more pages but it was already getting way too long.

18\. Trap

With the onset of the spring term, the time came again for Professor Ursula to chaperone the girls to town for undergarment shopping. With the exception of a few, namely Hannah and Barbara, it was a much-dreaded trip that usually took up most of their Saturday. 

As the group poured through the door, they were met with fluorescent lights casting scrutinizing beams on every corner of the pink and white-striped walls. Between the wallpaper were posters of topless women in underwear that were quite a sight thinner than most of the customers. Signs everywhere said “Sexy” in big, bold letters, promising wearers untold confidence and the promised land of untouchable beauty. 

“Okay, girls, go ahead and get everything you need. I'll be over here if you have any q-questions,” said Professor Ursula unsteadily, feeling that she was the last person who should be giving underwear advice. Casting an eye over the lacy underwear and blushing, she fervently wished Professor Finnelan still ran this particular field trip. 

The shop attendant already looked stressed at the sheer number of teenagers that just crossed the threshold. 

Hannah and Barbara squealed at the bounty of underthings, their wallets burning a hole in their couture handbags and bolted into the fray, dragging Diana by the hand. 

“The kid's section is over there, O'Neill,” Hannah shot over her shoulder at Amanda. The two had been sniping at each other quite a bit lately. 

Amanda embraced the insult and took the high road for once. “Alright, all members of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, follow me to the sports section!” she held a hand up as if she was a tour guide. Constanze followed, preferring utility over style.

Hannah made a sour face but let it go, returning her attention to Barbara and Diana, who looked absolutely mortified. The Blues were surrounded by a smattering of bras with cute and pleasing patterns or lace. Nearly all had padding. 

“These won't fit. I-I have to go to the bigger section,” Diana said a little sadly. 

Hannah and Barbara were too involved in their shopping quest to notice their friend had become markedly gloomy as she plod over to the part of the store that had larger items. Signs with bold letters, instead of 'Sexy' and 'Sassy' started to say things like 'Support' and 'Confidence'. It seemed to Diana, that medium bras had padding to make breasts seem bigger, but when breasts were naturally bigger all on their own, companies assumed you must be some kind of grandmother who didn't care about what was under her mumu. The colors indicated this as well...bright and fun colors turned into a sea of plain white an beige. To her utter offense, many of them still had padding. 

She started to feel anxious as she sorted through the bin, desperately trying to find a simple white bra without padding. She felt trapped in an endless cycle...it wasn't that she wanted all the cute colors and lace...but maybe a small part of her did. The lights baked her as if she was in an oven and she almost felt dizzy until a warm hand gently came down on her shoulder.

Diana whirled around to see Jasminka with her usual cheerful smile. 

“Looking for one without padding?” she asked kindly.

Diana nodded sadly, indicating that she hadn't had much luck.

“Me too! It's hard being a bigger size sometimes, isn't it?”

Diana hadn't really gotten to know Jasminka too much, but she was like a life ring right now in a suffocating beige ocean. 

“Yes...it is.” 

“I got them in early. Kids made fun of me for a while. They nicknamed me “Jugsminka.” 

“That's horrible,” said Diana, shocked.

Jasminka didn't seem to be particularly bothered though, and asked, “What did they call you?”

Diana was floored. It was as if Jasminka could magically read her mind. She hesitated, remembering one particularly hard summer. 

“Diana Cannontits,” she replied meekly. The only person who admonished the bullies back then was Andrew, but they only stopped when he was around. 

Jasminka chuckled, “That's a good one.” 

Despite herself, Diana chuckled too. It seemed so stupid now, but at the time it had hurt so much. “You seem to have taken it pretty well, Jasminka.”

“Oh sure...it hurt my feelings at first, but as time went on, of course those same stupid boys started to change their minds. By the time I left the Ukraine, I had three boyfriends!” she said cheerfully. 

“Three?!” said Diana under her breath. Not that she cared about boys, but it was impressive nonetheless. “You're positively predatory!” 

They had a good laugh and Diana felt so much better than when she was at the bin alone just minutes before. She had no idea how Jasminka knew just what she was going through and just what she needed to hear, but she was grateful. 

“Hey, here's one without padding...looks like it could be your size,” said Jasminka, holding up a suitable bra from the bottom of the bin. Diana reached out for it as if it was buried treasure.

“Oh, thank you so much!”

“Sure, Cannontits!” she said very quietly under her breath. 

“And thank you for...you know...Jugsminka,” Diana said with a smile. 

She gave a thumbs up. 

Across the store, Amanda had led a small group toward the sports section and had discreetly swiped a couple lacy bras in her size, hastily stuffed out of view between sports bras. 

Constanze was stretching one out of the sports bras to its absolute limit, probably testing it for something other than its intended purpose, but she wasn't letting on any clues.

Sucy had picked out a bra on the way and was wearing it on her head. “Earmuffs,” she said placidly to anyone who shot her a funny look. Underwear shopping wasn't her favorite activity. But like any girl, she did like to feel good and confident, not that she would ever admit it. Certainly not here, among all this pink.

Akko made a beeline for the ones with bright patterns and prints. “Ooh! So cute! What do you think, Lotte? Are you gonna get something cute to show off to Frank?”

Lotte's face turned the color of a chili pepper. “Akko! Keep your voice down!” 

Akko giggled and Sucy cackled quietly. 

In the privacy of the fitting rooms, Akko got herself stuck in a bra that was several sizes too small and cut into her shoulders and ribs like a piece of twine wrapped around a pot roast. She tugged and pulled to get it off, to no avail. 

“Help!” she said quietly, hoping Lotte or Sucy would hear. After no one came to her rescue, she said it a little louder. “Help!!”

A few minutes later, a pained scream shattered the calm and quiet in the hallway of fitting rooms. “OW, OW! It's stuck!” came Akko's voice. “I'm trapped!” she wailed. 

“It's way too small,” said Lotte, trying to unbuckle it from the back. “What were you thinking?”

“I-OW! I always wear this size!” she replied. 

“You grew,” said Sucy simply, still wearing the bra on her head. “I think I have scissors here somewhere...”

At that moment, the buckle came undone and it snapped to the front like a bullwhip, putting a chip in the fitting room mirror. 

“Wow,” said Sucy. 

Akko was covered in angry red lines where it had squeezed her. “This was supposed to be fun...” she whined. 

“This trip is never fun,” said Sucy matter-of-factly.


	19. 19. Dizzy

19\. Dizzy

“You'll be fine...now swing a leg over, let's go!” said Amanda, already on the broom. It had already taken a half hour just to talk Louis into coming down to the field near the broom. Now he was shifting from foot to foot, flexing his hands nervously.

“Come on, if you've got the nerve to have a sword fight on a three-foot-wide bridge, this is nothing,” 

He supposed it had to come to this sooner or later. Flying was her very favorite thing...and he had never so much as been on a roller coaster. When she heard that little tidbit it was pretty much over and decided. 

“Alright...” he said tentatively, swinging a leg over in position behind her. 

“Alright! Now we're talkin'.” 

She sounded way too overexcited and it was making Louis nervous. He wrapped his arms around her waist securely. 

“Go easy, will you? I want to live to see my twenties at least.”

“Relax,” said Amanda, trying to be reassuring. “You're in very capable hands. Alright, let's pop your cherry. Tia Freyre!” 

He opened his mouth to respond to the lewd remark, which turned out to be a mistake. The velocity of the takeoff caught him by surprise and dried his mouth out, tears streaming from his eyes as the wind rushed them. All he could really do was let out a half-strangled scream. 

“Shut your big mouth, you'll get bugs in your teeth!” shouted Amanda, not even bothering to hide the laugh in her voice. “Probably don't look down either!”

Of course he looked down. The sight of the safe ground about a hundred feet below made him tighten his grip around her and let out a bit of a pathetic squeak. 

“Ready to barrel roll?” shouted Amanda. 

“NO!”

And he found himself upside down...and right-side up again just as quickly. A few more times and he was too queasy to feel scared. 

Deciding that he had had enough, Amanda steered back toward the field. She landed with the dainty grace of a professional and Louis rolled off the broom onto the grass like a crumpled ball of paper. 

He gripped handfuls of grass as the world spun in his vision. He was dizzy, nauseous, exhilarated and oh-so-thankful to be back on the ground. 

The brim of Amanda's hat came into view and then her bright, flushed face. “Wow, you didn't even barf or anything! It's gotta be some kinda record.” 

“Wha?” was all he could manage. 

She flopped down on the grass next to him and offered a small kiss. The world spun again for him in a completely different way.


	20. 20. Coral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't (and won't) stop shipping these two

20\. Coral

A school dance was a notion Miranda Holbrook had come up with several years ago that she thought would be a significant morale boost for the students. It had come to her attention that most non-witching schools made a habit of holding them, allowing for a certain amount fraternization, drama and fun. Professor Finnelan thought it a superfluous event, but most of the other staff were completely on board. 

This particular year, it was Professor Pisces's turn to pick the theme, and to absolutely no one's surprise at all, she chose an 'Enchantment Under the Sea' motif. The great hall where the students usually ate lunch was decked out with hanging blue gauzy drapes and magical un-poppable bubbles. Constanze, rather than join in the dancing on the floor, elected to run the impressive sound system she had gotten a hold of and was itching to take for a spin. 

The rest of the girls were fairly buzzing with excitement for the dance, and at the moment of the announcement, there was launched a school-wide 'manhunt' for dates. Nowhere was safe, from the brick streets of Blytonbury to the outlying areas and even Appleton Academy. 

While the other girls planned and strategized like war generals for the perfect dates and the perfect dresses, Amanda sulked in silence. She and Louis had kept their relationship under the radar...out of pride, sidestepping the taboo of it, and mostly to hide it from his father. There was no way in the Devil's sweet hell they would be able to be together at Luna Nova the night of the dance and it was making Amanda more than a little blue. 

Still, she played the part. She got a teal gown embellished with pearls and put her hair up...the whole enchilada. Maybe she could dance with her friends and help Consey with the music and it wouldn't be so bad. 

The hall was already bustling with couples and small groups of singles circling like vultures, ready to pick off stragglers should some unforeseen drama take place. 

“Ya need any help, Consey?” Amanda asked as Constanze busied herself at the soundboard. She shook her head and waved her hand as if to say, “I got it.” At the moment Amanda stalked over to the punch bowl, some of the boys from Appleton had arrived, along with Akko, Lotte and Sucy, who was flying solo for the evening. Amanda was a little surprised to see Andrew walking purposefully in her direction, Akko bounding happily on his arm.

“Hiii Amanda!” Akko squeaked excitedly, “It looks so different and nice in here!”

“It's okay, I guess,” Amanda shrugged. “Actually, I'm thinkin' of calling it a night. Sorta boring...not my scene...ya know,” she lied. 

“You should go up to the roof,” said Andrew suddenly. 

“Jeez, Hanbridge, I'm not feeling _that_ bad...chill,” said Amanda, cocking an eyebrow at him. Even Akko shot him a puzzled look. 

He pinched the bridge of his nose. It had already been such a _challenging_ evening, helping to arrange the whole scheme. This was the last piece of the puzzle and he could finally relax. 

“You misunderstand me...it's a nice night. It's quiet, private, the stars are out...it's more your 'scene',” he widened his eyes and leaned forward an inch, hoping she would catch the drift. 

“ _We_ should go up to the roof!” said Akko, who was completely missing the subtext of the conversation. 

“Oh, look...punch,” said Andrew, sweeping Akko along. 

Amanda was too busy thinking about Andrew's words to hear Akko's protests. She rolled her eyes and decided she may as well check out the roof. 

The fairies used the stairs to access the roof for repairs all the time and routinely left the door unlocked. There was really no point in blocking access when the students could just hop on a broom and land on the roof anyway. 

She propped open the access door and the music could still be faintly heard from the hall. She looked around and was utterly shocked to see Louis casually standing alone on the roof as if waiting for something, or someone. 

He looked a little shocked himself when he saw her. 

“Oh, love, you're stunning.”

Amanda felt a blush explode on her cheeks and was grateful she was half-hidden by night. “Thanks,” she said with a sheepish smile, pulling him into an embrace. She had to ask the question burning a hole in her mind. “How did you get here?”

“Well...”

He launched into an explanation of the convoluted web of deception he had to embark on to throw his father off the trail, involving Andrew and Frank as accomplices. 

“So Frank and Andrew know...”

He nodded. “Sorry.”

“Sucy knows too,” Amanda admitted. 

“I know...she's my inside source,” he replied. 

“What?!” 

“That's who gave me a ride up here,” he gestured around the roof. “Oh, I nearly forgot.” He walked over to his bookbag which she hadn't even noticed before and pulled something out of a clear box. 

“Hold out your hand, please,” he said, a small smile playing at his lips. 

She did so and he tenderly slipped a corsage on her wrist, which had little bits of coral in it that matched the pink of her hair. “This is what you do...at a dance...right?” he asked nervously when she hadn't said anything.

Truthfully, no one had ever done anything like this for her before...gone to so much trouble just to see her, or got her flowers. She was a girl too, after all, and liked flowers just as much as any other, even if it was a secret like. 

“It's perfect,” she said softly in her raspy voice and he breathed a sigh of relief. 

Down in the hall, it was that time of night when the slow numbers started to play, and the music drifted up through the open door just loud enough for them to hear on the roof. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“This is what you do at a dance,” she said, smiling in response to his quizzical look. She didn't really know how to slow dance, so this would have to do. 

He didn't know either, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and they sort of swayed together as shy middle-schoolers do, leaning in to touch foreheads as the slow numbers played.


	21. 21. Sleep

21\. Sleep

It had become a long-standing tradition that Akko would grace the Hanbridge mansion once a month or so for dinner with Andrew and his father, which Andrew thought was good progress toward mending bridges between the two. Coaxing Paul Hanbridge into being comfortable with the world of witchcraft was a painfully slow process, and Akko being the loudest, brashest, most excitable witch alive could be considered a sort of shock therapy for him. 

On this particular night, a violent thunderstorm had brewed over Blytonbury, and Akko had barely managed to fly to the manor, whipped about like a tiny starling in the turbulent winds. Paul sighed exasperatedly when the butler showed the small witch to the dining room and she looked as if she had stuck her fingers in an electrical socket. Andrew had become so used to her accident-prone nature, he hardly noticed, and the warm smile that crossed his face when she entered had Paul more than a bit worried. 

Dinner passed relatively uneventfully. Andrew was pleased to see his father asking Akko questions about the practical uses of magic, which she answered with gusto. They were all extremely careful to avoid mentioning cupid bees or anything related. 

When it was time for Akko to return to Luna Nova, the rain had begun to pour down in thick sheets, with droplets the size of marbles. 

“Uh...eh...I can't fly through that. I'm just not practiced enough yet,” she said worriedly. 

“Not to worry, I'll have Jenkins drive you back to Luna Nova,” said Paul, moving to summon the butler.

“Oh, father, you gave Jenkins the rest of the night off, remember?” Andrew said helpfully.

_Damn_. Thought Paul, starting to see the trap in which he was being ensnared. He cursed himself.

“Why don't we offer her a guest room for the night?” Andrew suggested. 

“The bus!” Paul said desperately, grasping for any way out of putting the small witch up for the night. 

“ _Father_ ,” said Andrew with that tone that suggested he was being pig-headed. 

“Alright,” he relented. “Miss Kagari, won't you please be our guest for the night?” he said. His voice had all the good manners of a gentleman but his facial expression looked as if he had swallowed a whole lemon. 

“Yes! Thank you!” squeaked Akko, too relieved at not having to fly through a storm to think about any nighttime shenanigans. 

Paul gestured for the butler. “Would you please show Miss Kagari to one of the guest rooms?” He pulled the butler close and whispered, “East wing. Make sure it's as far away from my son's room as physically possible.” As hard as it was to believe, Paul had once been a teenager himself and was not overly fond of how pleased Andrew looked with this whole arrangement. 

His face fell a bit when they bade goodnight and he realized Akko was being led away to the East Wing. Well, at he could sleep soundly knowing she was safe. 

Akko was given one of Andrew's old undershirts to sleep in, which made her feel very snuggly, and the room was much more opulent and comfortable than her shared dorm back at school. Still...sleep did not come. 

She wasn't afraid of thunder or lightning, and normally the patter of rain on the window would be a comforting noise to fall asleep to. But, being in this house, so close to Andrew and yet so far away, had her wide awake. She might never get a chance like this again...

Making the final decision, she tore the warm covers off and padded with bare feet out into the long hallway. She had never seen the house in its entirety and realized grimly that finding Andrew's room would be a lot harder than she thought. Opening door after door in the East wing, she was starting to get very cold and her toes grew numb. Her lowest moment came when she accidentally opened a door on a maid who was in the middle of changing out of her uniform. At the sound of the surprised scream, Akko slammed the door and ran like mad, getting lost in the labyrinthian manor. 

“Aw, rats,” she said aloud, fairly confident that she was lost enough that no one would hear her. Then she gasped when a brilliant idea struck her. 

“A practical use for magic,” she chuckled, pulling her wand from its handy storage place in her bralette. Muttering a little spell, a ball of aquamarine light floated up and bounced lightly from side to side, as if waiting for instructions.

“Find Andrew,” she whispered excitedly and the little ball of light was off like a shot. She padded after it, trying to move quietly but still almost knocked over an ornamental urn on her tear through the halls. It stopped and vanished at last in front of a door that seemed very far away indeed from where she started. 

She opened it and was ecstatic to see an absolute mop of raven hair peeking out from the covers. She crossed the room to the huge bed and blushed at the sight of Andrew's curls jostled loose and wild all over his pillow. 

_He must be a heavy sleeper._

She crawled into bed beside him and realized just how cold she had gotten on her trip through the house. 

“Hmm?” he said groggily. 

“It's me,” she whispered, suddenly self-conscious. What if he didn't want her here? “I...I'm scared of thunder,” she lied.

“No, you're not,” he said sleepily, eyes still shut. 

_Aw rats._ Even in his sleep, he could call her out on her bullcrap. 

“Do you want me to go?” she asked a little sadly. 

He shook his head with a smile and wrapped his arm around her, cuddling her close and promptly falling back asleep. She fell asleep too in short order, warm and cozy against his chest. The rhythm of his heartbeat was even better than rain.


	22. 22. Chef

22\. Chef

I have this running headcanon that Jasminka not only becomes like a gourmet chef but she infuses her food with spells that provide the taster with exactly what they need, sort of like a culinary Wizard of Oz. Courage for Lotte, a heart for Sucy, a brain for Akko...that sort of thing.


	23. 23. R.I.P.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I know I'm cheating just a tiny bit changing it from Rip to R.I.P. but I wanted to draw this.

23\. R.I.P.

Sucy is a student of world cultures, especially traditions involving death and all things grim. Deciding to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos, Akko and Lotte are delighted to find that it's a lively and colorful celebration and join in.


	24. 24. Dig

24\. Dig

Sucy is goal oriented. She could probably beat Diana in a couple of subjects if she really wanted to. Trouble is, she only really wants to find mushrooms. If that means turning her classmates into truffle-hunting pigs, so be it. "Dig! Dig! Dig, my little piggies!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost the end of December and I'm making an October post? Yes! I said I was gonna finish and I'm gonna finish.


	25. 25. Buddy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll all just have to learn to get along. 
> 
> Harry Potter fans will totally know why I chose the name 'Vernon' and I think it works on a bunch of different levels.

25\. Buddy

Frank had always wanted to be a part of a big family. As luck would have it, with two busy parents running a tech company and a sister several years older and singularly uninterested in sentimentality, a big warm family didn't seem to be in the cards. Frank retaliated against this cruel hand of fate by collecting a staggeringly large group of friends and acquaintances. The move to England proved to be a huge blow to his social life, but Frank would not be deterred by the petty obstacle of being in a brand new country and set about making friends all over again. 

Frank was initially drawn to Andrew because, not that he would admit it, but Andrew was a huge girl magnet. Wherever he went, girls were sure to follow, and though it was a little shamelessly opportunistic, Frank was a little too girl-crazy to be properly ashamed of himself. What he didn't expect was to come to see the almost supernaturally responsible and stoic Andrew as his older brother figure. Andrew, the consummate eldest, always acting as a substitute parent and the self-assured voice of reason. And they were as two oddly-paired peas in a pod for a while, with other boys coming and going from the tiny forged family like cousins would. 

Then, fairly suddenly, a third element came along as a result of Andrew's father's frequent meetings with his political colleague, Vernon Blackwell. As with most youngest siblings, Louis was rather loud, but also somehow sneaky, and over-eager to prove himself. Frank was suddenly the middle brother, stopping the other two from constantly butting heads and secretly seeing them through their separate hardships. Encouraging Andrew to pick up the piano again after his spirit had been crushed, welcoming Louis back into the fold after his bout with anti-witch extremism ended. Oh yes, they needed Frank in the middle to look after them. After all, they couldn't possibly look after themselves. 

“I'm the glue that holds this family together.” -Frank, probably


	26. 26. Hide

26\. Hide

"How much longer do we have to hide?"

"Until I'm no longer in danger of losing you."


	27. 27. Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Borrowed a pose from the internet so I could practice painting technique. Really, with music I only had one choice in my estimation.

27\. Music


End file.
